Japan Centre Gift Guide

Japan Centre, London’s only Japanese food hall and online shop, has a wonderful selection of authentic Asian gifts perfect for the foodie in your life! Below, we share our top 12 recommendations for you this fall, 2016.

1. Ceremonial matcha green tea set with premium matcha powder

A beautiful matcha tea set containing all the items necessary to organise your own tea ceremony at home. The set includes freshly Japan Centre stone ground matcha green tea with three authentic tea utensils, whisk, spatula and traditional ceramic bowl to help you experience the beauty and mystery of the traditional tea ceremony at home.

2. Gekkeikan Horin Junmai Daiginjo Sake

Daiginjo sake is one of Japan Centre’s most popular sakes. Made by Gekkeikan, one of the oldest sake companies in the world and has been producing sake since 1637. This sake takes fresh spring water and two different types of premium sake rice and transforms them into Horin. It has a delicate, fruity nose with hints of cantaloupe, honeydew and honeysuckle, with a long, clean aftertaste containing hints of pear. A quality sake such as this is best served cold with fresh, mild foods and is a perfect sake for beginners.

3. Traditional Japanese Ceramic Chopstick Rests

Each of the five chopstick rests in this set features a different design, with all five designs being inspired by the traditional blue and white Japanese patterns often seen in artwork or fabric.

Ceramic bowl with chopsticks

This lacquered ceramic bowl is elegant, durable and perfect for your donburi, and rice dishes. It is also ingeniously designed with two indentations to hold and rest the included bamboo chopsticks.

5. Japan Centre stone ground matcha

Stone-ground in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan Centre’s own brand matcha has been made using only the highest quality green tea leaves. This will make the perfect cup of matcha but can also be used in cooking and baking.

6. Yellow feng shui lucky cat coin bank

A combination of Chinese and Japanese traditions, this special lucky cat coin bank with left paw raised will help welcome in money and good fortune into your home. A perfect stocking filler.

7. Nestlé KitKat mini share pack – Matcha Green Tea

Enjoy one of Japan’s most popular and most unique sweet treats with this share pack of matcha green tea flavoured KitKats. Made with less sweeteners to appeal to more adult tastebuds, these KitKats consist of layers of KitKat’s trademark crispy wafer surrounded by a sweet, matcha green tea infused white chocolate. Perfect for a different kind of sweet stocking filler!

8. Sushi making kit

Become your own personal sushi chef in the comfort of your own home with this all-in-one sushi kit. This kit contains all of the basic ingredients and tools needed for making and eating makizushi (sushi rolls), including sushi rice, sushi vinegar, nori seaweed and a bamboo rolling mat. All you need to add for amazing makizushi are your favourite fresh sushi fillings.

9. Pop culture set

Feel part of the world of manga, anime and Japanese TV shows with this one-of-a-kind Japanese pop culture set. Contains sweet and savoury snacks from cute confectionery to bubbly ramune and tasty instant ramen

10. Traditional Maekake Apron with Kabuki design

Perfect for the home chef and foodies this traditional apron made from durable cotton will make them feel like a professional! Worn around the waist and featuring a white image of a kabuki actor on a navy blue background, these heavy duty aprons are great for a multitude of uses.

11. Choya Extra Years Umeshu Plum Wine with Whole Ume Plums

Plum wine does not get much plum-ier than this! The umeshu plum wine in this large glass bottle has been made using the traditional Japanese recipe, by stewing ume plums in a solution of strong shochu alcohol and sweetener until it turns a golden brown colour and has an intense sweet/sour taste. The addition of whole plums gives this umeshu an extra fruity kick. Perfect as an unusual gift for a foodie!

12. Sake Sets – Jet Black with Sapphire Ribbon

A classy sake serving set for four. This authentic sake set comes with tokkuri sake dispenser and 4 ochoko sake cups, all painted a mottled black/grey colour with sapphire blue accents along the top rim.